State Rep. Carl Tepper leads effort to prohibit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives

AUSTIN, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) - In December 2022, State Representative Carl Tepper filed three bills (HB 1006, HB 1033, and HB 1046) to prohibit initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in public institutions of higher education and other governmental entities. Public institutions of higher education in Texas and nationwide operate extensive offices of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and use public funds to practice woke discrimination, self-segregation, and division.

Inspired by Representative Tepper’s DEI-related legislation, lawmakers in Florida, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia have called for greater transparency into how many taxpayer dollars are spent on DEI initiatives. Many state lawmakers have taken Representative Tepper’s lead and introduced legislation to prohibit DEI in government.

Representative Tepper stated, “I’m pleased to see so many other states follow Texas’ lead, once again. While I strongly believe that public universities should allow a wide variety of debates and opinions, universities should not use taxpayer dollars to inculcate students with negative values.

“Diversity on college campuses is in itself a noble mission, but the practice of reverse discrimination and hostile attacks on contemporary America is counterproductive. Texas public universities have a large minority and international student body; I pray this tradition continues, and I suspect that it will––with or without these offices of questionable mandate. With the exponentially increasing costs of higher education, the State of Texas should cease all wasteful spending on activism that, in practice, exacerbates racial division and disharmony. We are proud Americans and Texans, and public dollars should in no way counter that fundamental viewpoint.”